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surface wave

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noun Geology.
a seismic wave that travels along or parallel to the earth's surface (distinguished from body wave).
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Words nearby surface wave

surface structure, surface tension, surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, surface-to-underwater, surface wave, surfacing, surfactant, surf and turf, surfbird, surfboard
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to surface wave

tsunami, eagre, rogue wave, seiche, tidal bore, white horses

How to use surface wave in a sentence

  • It wasn't exactly an A-bomb, but the spray hit us a half mile away, and the surface wave swamped us.

    Tabby|Winston Marks

  • Now, the surface wave is the path marked by a submarine on the surface of the water.

    Our Navy in the War|Lawrence Perry

Scientific definitions for surface wave

surface wave
A seismic wave that travels across the surface of the Earth as opposed to through it. Surface waves usually have larger amplitudes and longer wavelengths than body waves, and they travel more slowly than body waves do. Love waves and Rayleigh waves are kinds of surface waves. Compare body wave. See Note at earthquake.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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